Abstract

Background: Candida septic arthritis is a debilitating condition affecting joint function. Candida tropicalis, an organism found in normal human flora is noted to be the third most common pathogenic yeast in the elderly and immunosuppressed population. Infections are rare in the US, typically limited to the neonate and elderly populations. Most infections occur in the south America and southeast Asian regions. In the last 2 decades, Tropialis infection rates have risen impart due to antifungal resistance. We present a case of Candida tropicalis infection in the knee of a 13-year-old female with a past history of relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia following bone marrow transplant, pancytopenia and graft vs. host disease.

Methods: Patient case is thoroughly discussed, and a review of the current literature performed.

Result: Patient underwent multiple open irrigation and sharp debridement as well as arthroscopic complete synovectomy in addition to medical management. Patient remained pancytopenic throughout her course and eventually underwent granulocyte transfusion. During her course, she developed a relapse of her AML and subsequently expired. Limited case reports exist in the literature, with no recent reports of Candida arthritis in an adolescent in the United States.

Discussion: Candida septic arthritis remains a rare but potentially devastating condition, particularly in the immunocompromised patient population. Candida arthritis should be high on the treating physician’s suspicion in immunocompromised patients presenting with new onset joint pain. Aggressive medical and surgical management is recommended, and current literature has shown a high cure rate with early treatment.